Local governments are confronting one of the most important issues of our time – the alarming recent increase in damage to homes from extreme rainfall. Communities large and small across Canada are now taking action to reduce the risk of basement flooding and damage to property from sewer backup. The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) wrote a book titled Cities adapt to extreme rainfall: Celebrating local leadership that presents 20 of the many successful local projects underway in communities that are adapting to better address the risks associated with extreme rainfall. During this webinar, Sophie Guilbault, Manager at ICLR, will review some of the case studies presented in the report as well as lessons learned.

In recent years, severe rainfall has replaced fire to become the leading cause of damage to Canadian homes. Damage to homes from sewer backup and basement flooding now exceeds $2 billion a year, and has been rising at an unsustainable rate for more than 25 years. Moreover, it is inevitable that the frequency and severity of extreme rainfall events will escalate as a result of climate change, threatening to further increase the damage to homes unless we adapt. Much of the damage to homes is preventable if local governments and homeowners apply existing knowledge to the design and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure. Fortunately, local governments, property owners and other stakeholders are starting to take action.

Over the next few decades, it is expected that Canadians will experience more frequent and intense rainstorms. Nevertheless, if we adapt, it is possible that we could also experience reduced stormwater damage to homes.

ACT (The Adaptation to Climate Change Team) brings leading experts from around the world together with industry, community, and government decision-makers to explore the risks posed by top-of-mind climate change issues and to identify opportunities for sustainable adaptation.